Combination mouth piece and air-way



April 21, 1959 N. A. c. GODFROY- 2,

COMBINATION MOUTH PIECE AND AIR-WAY Filed May 23, 1957 INVENTOR.

United States Patent 2,882,893 I COMBINATION MOUTH PIECE AND AIR-WAY Nicholas A. C. Godfroy, Omaha, Nebr.

Application May 23, 1957, Serial No. 661,131

3 Claims. (Cl. 128-136) This invention relates to a combination mouth piece and air-way of particular value in the electrical shock treatment of mental patients.

Heretofore it has been the practice to place the mouth piece of rubber or other compressible material into the mouth of a patient preparatory to electrical shock treatment so that at times when the patient receives a shock and his teeth clamp toward each other with great force the teeth are cushioned by the mouth piece.

It has further been the practice to attempt to remove the mouth piece from the patients mouth in order to make possible the insertion of a separate air-way instrument. The air-way is vital for delivering oxygen and carbondioxide to the patient through his mouth and throat. Without air the patient turns blue and is in danger of dying by suffocation.

It is extremely difiicult to remove the mouth piece from the patients teeth because his jaws are clamped on the mouth piece with almost unbelievable force whereby it is sometimes further impossible to remove the mouth piece without first allowing the patient to suffocate to such a degree that the patient turns blue and the jaws sag after which it is possible to remove the mouth piece. However this method is very dangerous inasmuch as suffocation has reached an extreme point.

An attempted solution to this problem has been made by placing an air passageway through such a mouth piece and such a product is available today.

However this product does not solve the problem because the patients tongue tends to draw upwardly against the roof of the mouth shutting oh the passage into the throat whereby air coming through the mouth piece cannot pass further.

I have discovered a solution to the problem which is in the provision of a mouth piece having an air-way tube connected to it, the tube extending down the throat of a patient. With my discovery it is possible to place the air-way tube in the mouth of the patient at the same time that the attached mouth piece is inserted between the teeth. With my device it is no longer necessary to remove the mouth piece from between the teeth of the patient in order to insert the air-way tube and air can be given the patient immediately for avoiding the serious dangers of suffocation above mentioned.

Other and further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following detailed description, drawings and claims, the scope of the invention not being limited to the drawings themselves as the drawings are only for the purpose of illustrating a way in which the principles of this invention can be applied.

Other embodiments of the invention utilizing the same or equivalent principles may be used and structural changes may be made as desired by those skilled in the art without departing from the present invention and the purview of the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the combination airway and mouth piece of my invention;

2,882,893 Patented Apr. 21, 1959 Figure 2 is a top plan view of the device of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a frontal elevation thereof; and

Figure 4 is a view-in-section taken along the line 4-4 of Figure 3.

The medical instrument of this invention has a mouth piece generally indicated at 10 which is formed with a web of resilient material and which is adapted to be received between the upper and lower teeth of a human patient in order to prevent the upper and lower teeth from clamping against and damaging each other. The mouth piece 10 can be of any shape but it is preferred that in top plan view it be substantially horseshoe-shaped or of a U-shape to conform substantially to the teeth of the patient.

As best seen in Figures 3 and 4, the mouth piece 10 has a first passageway extending forwardly and rearwardly therethrough at 14 whereby suitable gas containing oxygen can be inserted through the passageway to pass into the mouth of the patient, the passageway 14 opening at the forward side of the mouth piece 10.

The mouth piece 10 further preferably has upwardly and downwardly extending flanges 16 and 20 which are themselves substantially of a U-shape, opening rearwardly and arranged along the periphery or exterior of the mouth piece 10 at its forward end.

The flanges 16 and 20 engage the'forward sides of the teeth and prevent the mouth piece from moving rearwardly into the mouth as would not be desired. In this way they form a large forward portion of the mouth piece to prevent such rearward movement.

Inside the passageway 14 a metal sleeve 22 can be imbedded. The sleeve 22 is optional and permits insertion of means into the passageway at its forward end for reception in the sleeve 22 for delivery of oxygen therethrough, such means not being shown.

The sleeve 22 prevents closure of the passage 26 by the clamping of the patients teeth.

The passageway 14 in sleeve 22 is preferably elongated from side to side, as best seen in Figure 3. In accordance with this invention an airway tube, generally indicated at 24, is attached to the mouth piece, the tube having a second air passageway 26 therethrough disposed in communication with the first air passageway 14 of the mouth piece 10.

The said tube 24 is of such length as to extend beyond the mouth and into the throat of a patient. The tube 24 curves downwardly at its rearward end terminating in a portion disposed substantially transverse and at a right angle to its upper end.

The tube 24 is open at its lower end for passage of air therefro As thus described, it will be seen that the instrument can be placed in the mouth of the patient preparatory to giving the patient an electric shock. When the patient needs air to avoid sufiocation it can be easily given him through the tube 24 without removal of the mouth piece as has been heretofore necessary.

As thus described this invention has fulfilled the objectives hereinabove set forth.

From the foregoing description, it is thought to be obvious that a combination mouth piece and air-way constructed in accordance with my invention is particularly well adapted for use, by reason of the convenience and facility with which it may be assembled and operated, and it will also be obvious that my invention is susceptible of some change and modification without departing from the principles and spirit thereof, and for this reason I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to the precise arrangement and formation of the several parts herein shown in carrying out my invention in practice, except as claimed.

1. In combination: a mouth piece of resilient material horseshoe-shaped in plan and adapted to be received between the upper and lower teeth of a human patient in order to prevent the upper and lower teeth from clamping against each other, said mouth piece having a passageway therethrough whereby suitable gas containing oxygen can be inserted through said passageway to pass into the mouth of a patient, and a tube extended from said mouth piece, said tube being in communication with the air passageway of said mouth piece, and being of such length so as to extend beyond the mouth and into the throat of the patient.

2. In combination: a mouth piece of resilient material hoseshoe-shaped in plan and adapted to be received between the upper and lower teeth of a human patient in order to prevent the upper and lower teeth from clamping against each other, said mouth piece having an enlarged forward end adapted to be positioned outside of the mouth of the user for preventing said mouth piece from moving inwardly of the mouth beyond the desired position between the teeth, said mouth piece having a passageway extended longitudinally therethrough whereby suitable gas containing oxygen can be inserted through said passageway to pass into the mouth of a patient, and a tube extended from the mouth piece, said tube being in communication with the air passageway of said mouth piece and being of such length as to extend beyond the mouth and into the throat of the patient.

3. In a mouthpiece, the combination which comprises a horseshoe-shaped body of resilient material having a horizontally disposed web with flanges extended upwardly and downwardly from the periphery or front portion with a passage, oval-shaped in cross section extended inwardly from the front and through the web and having an inwardly and downwardly curved tube extended from the inner edge and in communication with said passage, the tube being positioned whereby with the mouthpiece between the teeth of a patient the tube extends into the patients throat, and a tube of rigid material, oval-shape in cross section extended into said passage from the front of the body and being extended through the portion posi tioned to receive the teeth of the patient whereby an air passage is provided through the mouthpiece to the throat with the teeth of the patient clenched References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Teter June 25, 1918 Carpenter Feb. 23, 1954 Phillips Nov. 2, 1954- 

